SAO a final fight
by PhantomTemplar
Summary: In light of all that happened the scars of past fights are still fresh in the minds of those who have survived through it all. little do they know there's a coming war looming on the horizon.
1. Chapter 1

A/N so this is my first fanfic/one shot. this is for a friend who wanted me to branch out and try a new genre. Sadly I don't have much experience in fan fiction stories so please forgive me if it seems dulil or to fluffy.

the story takes place in America a year after the events of SAO, Alfheim, and GGO where Kazuto & Asuna are on a vacation and reconnect with friends and fellow SAO survivors.

My oc 's

Duncan Mctavish- Celtic Crusader

Vivian Marsh- Crimson

Mr. Yamoto- jewelry store owner

Disclaimer- i do not own sword art online all I really own are my oc's.

Oct. 1st, 2026. NYC, time 11:25 am, airport terminal.

''Kirito-kun where are we going in such a hurry'' Asuna asked as they stepped away from the airport terminal and into the bustling streets of New York City, Kazuto smiled at the chestnut haired beauty clinging to his arm" Asuna you called me Kiribati again" Asuna gave a small huff and said" but you are my kirito-kun" as she looked at all the activity going on around them . Although this was their second time in the US it was their first time in New York meeting two fellow SAO survivors. Kazuto zoned out for a second as they walked down the sidewalk and was about to step out into traffic as Asuna pulled him back into reality" watch where your going kirito-kun we don't wanna have to sit in a hospital on our first day here" Kazuto smiled sheepishly "no I guess we don't" "what were you thinking about anyways kiri- I mean Kazuto-kun" Asuna asked as she messed with a loose strand of hair. "Huh oh I was just thinking of Celtic Crusader & Crimson our fellow Sao survivors" Asuna nodded in compliance and began to look around at the many faces and foreign objects that littered the streets, Kazuto let out a small sigh knowing that sooner or later she would figure out what was really on his mind

"Flashback"

September 28th, 2026. Tokyo

Mr. Yamoto stood behind the display cabinet in his jewelry shop watching as a young man with raven black hair and black clothes on perused through the rings with great difficulty. "May I be of service to you young man" Mr. Yamoto said Kazuto nodded and walked over to the counter" yes sir i'm looking for a proposal ring for my girlfriend" Kazuto said as he blushed slightly. Mr. Yamoto smiled as he grabbed a tray of rings from the display and gently put them on the counter "well now let's see if we can't find you a ring". Thirty minutes later Kaztuo bowed to Mr. Yamoto as he exited the store " now to find the right time to give her the ring" Kazuto thought as he pocketed the small velvet box and a larger elongated box and walked over to his motorcycle hoping to get home and hide both jewelry boxes from prying eyes.

Present day- time 2:18 pm Central Park

After a few hours of walking around and getting used to their new surroundings and checking into their hotel they ended up at central park. "Asuna wait" kirito exclaimed Asuna turned to see Kazuto grinning with his camera out taking pictures a youthful bliss in his onyx eyes that made Asuna's heart melt Kazuto noticed Asuna staring and smiled "how did I end up with such a wonderful person" he thought" hey uh Kazuto-kun can we get a few pictures for Yui-chan also" Kazuto nodded and took a few pictures of Asuna at different intervals within the park and vice versa. After about an hour they walked blissfully holding each other's hands. Kazuto stopped for a second almost making Asuna trip over herself" Kazuto-kun is everything alright" Asuna asked with a slightly confused look" yup I actually have a present for you" Kazuto said as he opened his bag and pulled out a rectangular box and handed it to her" this is part one of your gift" he said as he tried to hold back his excitement Asuna thanked him and opened the small box inside was a silver necklace with a white shield charm that had a small ruby inset into it. Asuna was speechless as she hugged Kazuto. "I love you so much Kirito-kun" Asuna said as she kissed him instinctively Kazuto kissed her back and after a few moments they let go of each other and Kazuto said "I love you to Asuna Yuuki" he then took the necklace out of the box and put it around Asuna's neck fumbling writhe the clasp for a second "we should get back to the hotel and get ready to go meet our companions" Asuna exclaimed as she intertwined her hands in his and they set out towards their hotel.

Later at the hotel time 5:04 pm

Kazuto sat on the bed fumbling with the drawstrings of his jacket when he noticed Asuna exit the adjacent bathroom "so how do I look" Asuna said as she gave a brief twirl it took Kazuto a second to reply "like an angel that red dress is beautiful" Asuna giggled as she walked over to him and sat in his lap. "So where will we be meeting our friends" she asked "at a Japanese Restraunt not far from here" Kazuto replied

At the Restraunt 5:30 pm

Kazuto & Asuna sat at a booth idly chatting when a couple walked up to them and sat across from them "Kirito and Asuna I presume" said the man with a slight Scottish accent" yup" they both exclaimed taking in the features of the people in front of them both in their early twenties the man had light auburn hair , green eyes, a slight beard and wore black pants and a white hoodie while the woman had strawberry blonde hair grey eyes and wore a tan dress." You must be Celtic Crusader & Crimson I presume" Kazuto said "baka who else would they be" exclaimed Asuna as she gave her boyfriend a dubious glance the man across from them laughed as he ordered his drink " i'm Duncan Mctavish and this lovely lady is Vivian Marsh" "Kirigaya Kazuto and this is Yukki Asuna" Kazuto said as they shook hand "it's nice to finally meet you in irl" they exclaimed in unison. Their drinks arrived and food was ordered leaving the four friends to get to know one another "so what kind of work do you do" Kazuto asked Duncan as he sipped his tea "I'm a professional war vrmmo gamer " Duncan said Asuna and Vivian sighed" Vivian-chan what do you do" asked trying to change the topic slightly the strawberry blonde blushed a little as all eyes were on her " I uh I am a college student" as she said this their food came and everyone was relieved from the ensuing awkward-ness "whoa Kirito slow it down on the wasabi before before you burn your taste buds all to hell man" Duncan said as he chuckled after everyone finished they sat an talked for about an hour before they went their seperate ways.

Later that night 11:47

Kazuto and Asuna sat in bed talking bout their first day in America and their plans for the next few days when Kazuto's phone rang Kazuto checked to see who it was and answered" hello yui-chan" excited as ever she asked about their day and they told her bout the places they went and the pictures the took and Asuna told yui about the necklace her father had given her and although she wasn't with them they could see the smile on her face Kazuto checked the time 12:18 am "Yui-chan we need to go to sleep now it's been a long day" Kazuto regretfully said to his virtual daughter "ok papa, I love you mama and papa" Yui said cheerfully "we love you to yui-chan" Asuna said sleeping as she rested here head on Kazuto's chest. They fell asleep not to long after that. The next day was spent shopping and sight seeing and as they made their way back to their hotel that night Kazuto began to put part two of his plan into action. Tomorrow was their last day before they had to go home and Kazuto had booked a tour of a museum, and the zoo he felt so giddy that he could barely contain himself as he stole quick glances at Asuna to which she soon noticed. "do I have something on my face Kirito-kun" Asuna asked a puzzled look upon her face "no it's just I can't believe i'm here with you" hearing this made Asuna blush in turn she kissed him and made him blush an even darker shade of red "payback" she said and stuck her tongue out at him.

The next day their last day they got up early ate breakfast and bought gifts for their friends and relatives "to bad yui-chan can't be here with us" Asuna said as she poured a bit Kazuto nodded in agreement "one day she will be though I promise" he said as they left a store carrying different sized bags.

They made a quick stop at their hotel put the items in their suitcases and went back out to a waiting cab. "Something has Kirito-kun all excited"Asuna thought to herself but quickly dismissed the notion as the cab stopped and they paid their fair. Inside the museum they saw many wonderful artifacts from around the world but what caught Asuna's eye the most was an old French rapier that reminded her of her of her beloved sword in sword art online. Later that day after leaving the museum they had a quick meal and were about to board a bus that would take them to the zoo when it started to rain hard as they ran for the safety of the hotel lobby as he ran Kazuto thought to himself "damnit of all the times it could of rained it had to be today then an idea hit him as he entered the lobby he left Asuna to fix her hair that had gotten wet and walked over to the desk" uh excuse me sir" the lady behind the desk smiled and Kazuto told her his situation and what he wanted to do and she gave him a key Kazuto thanked her and walked back to Asuna "hey Asuna follow me he said and they walked through the lobby with each step Kazuto became more nervous they came to a stop in front of a conference room and as they entered Kazuto told Asuna to close her eyes and sit in one of the chairs by the conference table checking to make sure Asuna's eyes were closed Kazuto plugged his phone into one of the many ports and contacted yui via message and told her his plan. He then pulled yui's avatar walked over to Asuna and told her to open her eyes before her stood her virtual daughter "yui-chan but how" Asuna gasped Kazuto chuckled as he held the box behind him " I brought yui here using the hotels network so we could all be together for a special moment" as he said this he got down on one knee and opened the velvet box revealing a silver band Asuna was slightly confused for a moment until Kazuto said" Yuuki Asuna will you marry me" Asuna's heart raced as she said yes yui cheered and laughed in the back ground as they embraced "I love you" they both said together.

END

A\N Sorry bout the ending its 3:18 am here and I have been out playing airsoft since Thursday with some buddies hope you at least enjoyed some of the story haha bring on the bad reviews until then sleep haha.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N wrote this whilst babysitting my niece, tried to keep the grammar error to a minimum although i screwed up the punctuation somehow, well i'm off again into the world of little kid antics, if ya enjoy the story then thanks for the support, if you didn't then i dunno what to say i damn well can't please everybody.

disclaimer- i don't own Sword Art Online. Just my oc's

Chapter 2 Alfheim Mishaps

October 7, 2025.

Dicey Cafe

It had been four days since they returned from America Kazuto & Asuna now sat at a table reserved for their group at their friend Andrew's cafe surrounded by their friends who listened intently to their recollections sometimes getting giggles from the girls. After they finished Ryoutarou drained the glass in his hand and smiled "so Kazuto you aren't holding anything back from us are you" all eyes where now upon the red faced couple. Asuna sighed and shook her head but before she could say anything Andrew swooped in and saved "Ryo there's a call for you" Ryoutarou stood up mumbling under his breath and walked to the front of the cafe towards the phone with each step he slightly swayed due to the amount of alcohol he consumed "thank you Andrew-San" Asuna said Andrew gave a slight nod in reply. Keiko, Rika, and Sugu turned their attention back to Kazuto "so when shall we be able to meet our fellow SAO survivors" Rika said while she swirled the ice in her drink with her straw "soon" Kazuto replied smirking at the two hidden secrets only he and Asuna knew. Keiko could barely contain herself the only thing keeping her from jumping up and down were the two people sitting next to her on either sides of the booth Asuna smiled soon " Keiko-San very soon"  
as she said this Ryoutarou walked back over and said to the group that he would be late getting on that night.

Later that night Alfheim oc's pov

Celtic Crusader & crimson stood in the middle of yggdrasil city contemplating what they should do. Crimson looked at her comrade whom looked very much the same as he did out side of the game he'd chosen a sylph avatar and imported his stats from Sao he currently wore a curiass a white coat black pants and boots his weapon was a slyph broadsword. She on the other hand had chosen a caith sith and currently wore caith Sith archers garb and carried a bow. " Ah crim look at your wee tail move lass" Celtic said as he laughed annoyed and embarrassed by this she punched him before long he was doubled over with tears running down his eyes" and what did we learn Celt" the caith sith said smugly "not to mess with your tail" he said through clutched teeth. About an hour later crimson received a message she opened it and read it quickly,  
before turning to Celt who was asleep in the room the shared "hey wake up Kirito needs our help with a job" she said as she slapped him "eh uh damnit what was that for crim" "get up let's go I'll fill ya in on the way".

Slyph territory, forest area  
Kirito stood with yui on his head watching for the rest of his party to show up. So far three of the eight people were already there Klein, Silica, & Asuna. Yui perked up as she noticed movement in the distance, "Papa there's two players coming from the east" she said as she tugged a strand of hair "Yui-chan can you tell if it's Leafa or Lisbeth" Kirito asked as an uneasy feeling passed over him. Noticing this Asuna put her hand on his shoulder "Kirito-kun is something the matter" Kirito stiffened a bit as he recalled the rumors about a band of players who were terrorizing people in this area "ready your weapons" he said as he brought his blade to bear. Klein readied his katana and moved in close to Kirito while Asuna called up her healing magic and Silica covered her with her dagger. "Papa they're almost in range" Yui chanted two players appeared one man and one woman" whoa lad ya can put your weapons down" the man said as the woman sighed in mock irritation, Yui was the first to speak " papa-mama" who are these people" Asuna suppressed a laugh "they're friends of ours Yui-chan and fellow survivors of SAO" the two strangers grinned " Klein you remember Celtic Crusader and Crimson they were part of the kob and helped us clear a few floors back in aincrad" Klein nodded "come to think of it I do remember that scruffy beard" Klein said angering the sylph in front of him "well i'd rather have a scruffy beard over a stupid bandanna any day" "now now Celt so what did you need us for" Crimson said "I'll explain when the rest of our party gets here" Kirito said. A few minutes later Lisbeth and Leafa arrived and introductions were made then Kirito addressed them all " glad everybody could make it, there have been reports of a party of spriggan players terrorizing this area for a few days now and we're gonna stop them" "they will feel the wrath of a samurai's blade" Klein said as he touched the hilt of his blade" "ha samurai are overrated " Celt jested" ignoring the arguing sylph and salamander Leafa turned to the other females in the group "have they always been this way" "sadly yes ever since they met on floor sixty" Lisbeth said "we should get going" Kirito said. They walked for what seemed like hours through the forest occasionally spotting local fauna "can we take a break" Silica asked as she scratched pina's head Kirito was about to answer when a throwing knife bounced off the tree trunk next to him" ambush!" Asuna screamed as she readied her healing magic and drew her sword to cover Crimson as she knocked her first arrow. Yui popped out of Kirito's pocket "papa I count ten enemies hiding among the foliage" as she said this the first of the attackers jumped from their hiding spots and ran towards Asuna" damnit Liz, Leafa cover Asuna and Crimson" Kirito said as he leapt at the closest combatant. "Hey scruffy bet I can get more kills than you" Klein taunted "you're on" Celt muttered as they charged the other combatants. The clanging of blades and screams of dying avatars went on for awhile until only four enemy spriggans left the leader a spriggan with dyed blue hair and red robes had somehow eluded detection and lunged at Asuna from behind thus bringing the total amount of enemy combatants to five Asuna dodged at the last second and brought the pommel down hard upon the spriggans head thus knocking her backwards and stunning her long enough for them to dispatch the other four troublemakers. Kirito stood over the leader of the troublesome group "do you yield" the leader nodded "good next time you try something like preying on other players you will face the death penalty timer" Kirito said as he sheathed his blade "now run along" the other spriggan flew away as fast as she could.  
Yggdrasil city inn, two hours later

I got three kills how many did you get scruffy" Klein said as he ordered his drink "three, and stop calling me scruffy your facial hair isn't any better" Celt replied before taking a swig of his beer "so what are your thoughts of alo" Kirito asked "I have bloody wings lad it's bloody awesome so Klein told me you asked Asuna for her hand in marriage congrats after the shit you've been through you deserve it" Celt said as he slapped Kirito on the back a little to hard. The hours passed by as they told stories about their days in SAO or challenging each other to games of strength or knowledge until one by one they logged off leaving Kirito, Asuna, and Yui alone. Yui popped of Asuna's shoulder and changed into her human form "mama is it ok if we all sleep together tonight" "of course Yui-chan" they replied in unison five minutes later with Yui asleep in between them Kirito kissed Asuna and fell asleep all the events of the past day melting into pure bliss.  
End

A\N yea yea I had to have some action, and don't worry my oc's won't be popping up again for awhile. Sorry if you were looking for a ton of romance in this chapter or find it full of errors or uninteresting i'm still new to this so to speak. Big thanks to my girlfriend for the slapping scenes though even though unlike Celt I didn't deserve it haha stay cool guys I'll see y'all round the website.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N no comment see y'all at the bottom

disclaimer- i don't own sword art online blah blah

chapter 3 An awkward exchange

Kirigaya residence  
Why was Kazuto so nervous he cleared the death game, been held at knife point by a maniac and survived, and overcome so many other hardships but the thought of announcing their engagement to Asuna's parents unnerved him a bit. Kazuto stood in front of his mirror wearing a suit "stupid fucking suit'' he thought as he straightened his tie and tried to calm himself. "Don't mess up Kazuto" he thought as he grabbed his jacket and helmet and walked down the stairs to the lower levels of the house as he neared the front door his stepmother\aunt Midori stopped him and told him to have fun he nodded as he grabbed his shoes slipped them on and exited the house. Kazuto always felt calm riding his motorcycle through the streets it gave him a serene sense of freedom, but as he got closer to the Yuuki residence his heart began to race and he started to tremble a bit as he pulled into the driveway and cut the engine he took a few deep breaths and straightened his clothes after putting the kickstand down and pocketing the key . The short walk to the door felt like forever but Kazuto finally made it he knocked cautiously and was greeted by his fiance" Kirito-kun you're early" Asuna said as she hugged him "come in dinners almost ready" Kazuto stepped into the house "no turning back now" he thought Mr. Yuuki was the first to address him with a warm smile and a hand shake "Kirigaya-San welcome" Asuna left the two men to talk as she walked into the kitchen to help her mother finish the meal. Once everyone was seated Mrs. Yuuki addressed Kazuto with a small nod Kazuto was taken aback at the gesture and let his guard fall a bit "so Kirigaya-San what do you plan to do after high school" Mrs. Yuuki asked "I plan on going to a university to further my knowledge in virtual reality" Kazuto replied Mr. Yuuki smiled and nodded " sounds fun" Mrs. Yuuki rolled her eyes "only you would think that dear" silence Mrs. Yuuki continued after being stuck in that death game for two years to even think bout playing one or a career in said work field confuses me". The atmosphere in the room became tense as Kazuto noticed Mrs. Yuuki's trademark glare upon him "now now Kyouko leave the boy alone" "fine Shouzou i was just curious". While her parents bickered back and forth Asuna glanced at Kazuto sitting as still as a statue "Kazuto-kun is everything ok" "ye-yea everything is fine this is the first time they've addressed each other by name'' Kazuto said as he snapped out of his trance Shouzou heard him and turned his attention on the young couple and laughed ''well here i was thinking nothing would surprise young Kirigaya-kun which reminds me Asuna said y'all have something you would like to tell us" this caught the attention of Kyouko who had been in her own little world thinking of comebacks she could use on her husband "yes spit it out you two it's getting late and i still have a ton of work to do" Kyouko said in an almost venemous tone ''there's the Mrs. Yuuki i remember" Kazuto thought. "well uh you see" Kazuto froze mid sentence nervous as to what her parents would say but was reassured when Asuna intertwined her hand in his and mouthed "i love you" with his couraged restored slightly Kazuto cleared his throat and addressed the older couple " i have asked for Asuna's hand in marriage and would like your blessing". The whole house fell quiet Asuna gripped Kazuto's hand even tighter as her parent's faces took on a whole range of different emotions from confusion to anger "mostly Kyouko'' before either Shouzou or Kyouko could open their mouths to speak Asuna piped in " I said yes'' Shouzou grinned "the both of you deserve each other congrats '' Kyouko shifted in her seat her face showing no sign of irritation " as much as i still dislike you, you've proven time and time again that you are willing to protect and care for Asuna so i grant you my blessing" Kazuto's jaw dropped and Asuna hugged him. Later on as Asuna walked with Kazuto to his motorcycle Kazuto stopped and turned towards Asuna "what just happened" he asked "Kirito-kun our dreams are finally coming true that's what happened"

end chapter 3

A/N- I know this chapter was short but i have a lot on my mind and wanted to talk to y'all most of the feedback and reviews i receive are positive with the occasional you fucking suck pm's so i wanted to say thanks to those of you who reviewed or liked favorited the story so far thank you so much. That's not what i wanted to talk about though i'm not all about making a story to get tons of reviews write to entertain y'all and because it keeps me from getting stressed out. uh i'll be gone a few days so that's why i'm uploading this early.


	4. Chapter 4

A\N we've made it this far chapter 4 already this chapter was an idea someone sent to me i hope i got close to what you in visioned it be like. I'm open to ideas to advance the story for y'all or even characters you want just pm the details please. Sorry for being gone for two days had a wedding to attend. ok i did some editing and would like to thank the people who alerted me to it.

Disclaimer- I don't own sword art online

Chapter 4- a surprise party

Alfheim. New Aincrad floor 30

"Hey guys" Kirito said as he walked into Liz's blacksmith shop Agil & Klein stood and walked over to him blocking his view "eh hey guys what's going on" Kirito asked Agil spoke first" man do you know what day it is" "yea November 30th wh- oh shit Asuna's birthday" Agil nodded as Klein laughed "so hero what'd you get her" Kirito thought for a minute "well I got her some earrings with leafa's help irl" Kirito said smugly. "what about in game wee lad and Crimson told me she could'na come due to an exam" Celt said as he stepped through the door almost knocking the other three over the cloak he wore hid his face but he knew his friend had a smile on his face. "Good to see your ugly mug crusader" Agil said as he laughed "hey guys can you cover for me while I go find her a gift here" the three nodded and Kirito ran out the door scaring silica as he went. Asuna walked into Liz's shop only moments after Kirito ran off" hello Klein-san, Liz-san, Silica-san, Celt-san Agil-san where did Kirito run off to in such a hurry". It took a moment for someone to answer "he had an errand to run Asuna he'll be back shortly" Liz said as she came out from the blacksmiths forge carrying two swords " Celt, Klein here's your weapons they've been rstored next time you two go questing make sure your blades are at 100%" Liz said as she handed them their respective weapons Klein bowed in thanks and Celt gave a thumbs up.

Meanwhile Kirito walked through the streets looking through shops for the perfect gift finally settling on an ornate rapier as he paid for it and put it in his inventory he noticed a small shop selling flowers "hmm that's new" he said to himself as he checked how much money he had 20,000 col and went over to the stall buying six red roses, two tulips, and four tulips. (A\N- thank God my mother knows bout which flowers symbolize love).  
After Kirito finished looking for other gifts to compliment the sword and flowers he teleported to his house on floor twenty two to grab Yui. "Yui-chan it's time to go set up your mother's party" Yui jumped up from where she was hiding and tackled her father in a surprise hug causing Kirito to lose his footing and fall "ok papa i'm ready to go" Yui said as she let go of her father. Back at Liz's, Agil pulled Liz to the side and told her he was off to his inn to set up for the party Liz nodded in reply and cleared her throat three times alerting the others that their plan was set in motion and to begin their distractions as Agil slipped out under the premise of going back to his inn to get something, Klein and Celt stood up and began to fight as Silica tried to break it up" Oi what do you mean katana's are flimsy weapons they are elegant weapons compared to your barbaric blade" taking his que Celt shoved Klein" fine if you're so hell bent on a fight then we shall see whose blade is better ye wee scruffy rat" they then turned and exited the building. Asuna & Silica followed intrigued by the thought of a duel between two friends.

Liz checked her messages after Asuna stepped out and clicked on the flashing icon beside Kirito's name "almost set up you can head this way at anytime- Kirito" Liz sighed then smiled as she stepped out the door "I'll let them know but first let's see whose the better swordsman". Klein & Celt stood facing each other as the duel timer ticked down to the last few seconds Klein readied his blade as the timer hit zero and launched himself at his friend Celt studied his movements and parried before reversing the grip on his blade and slashing Klein's left arm and slightly lowering his health. The fight went on for several minutes both combatants slowly grinding away the others health little by little. Asuna watched in rapt excitement as her friends blades danced off one another but what really got her was when the countdown timer hit zero and it was announced as a tie. Klein grinned as he sheathed his blade "not bad for a barbarian" "aye you did good yourself lad for someone who relies on something like a katana to fight" (A\N I prefer the broadsword over a katana I'll tell ya why at the bottom) Klein laughed as he noticed Liz give the signal to head out. "So Asuna who do you think should of won that duel" Klien asked as they walked to Agil's inn under the premise of Agil needing help with something "Don't put me on the spot like that Klein I think you both did well" Asuna said trying to keep the conversation neutral.

At Agils Kirito, Yui, and other friends they'd made hid while Agil stood behind the bar cleaning a glass. "Asuna you go on in we'll just be a minute" Silica said sweetly Asuna nodded and entered. The door rang as it opened alerting everybody to get ready to jump out when they heard Asuna's voice. "Hey Agil we came as fast as we could the other's are outside waiting" Agil just grinned as everybody including the friends who had been outside yelled Happy Birthday Asuna". Asuna was so taken aback that she could barely speak never in a million years would she think that she would be surrounded by so many people they cared for her eyes teared up when her beloved Kirito stepped up embraced and kissed her earning an awe from many of the female's in the building making the couple blush a deep red as they separated from one another reluctantly. Yui popped up and hugged her mother "Happy Birthday mama I love you" Yui said excitedly as she let go and lead Asuna over to the present she bought her" look mama I got this for you" Asuna picked the small box up and opened it inside was a small charm with the kanji for love written on it " Yui-chan it's beautiful" Asuna said as she kissed her daughter's forehead. After the party ended and everybody except Klein, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, and Agil left the five remaining friends idly chatted till Klein mentioned Kirito's gift Kirito blushed a little as he opened his inventory and brought out three gifts (sword, flowers, vase) Asuna's jaw dropped as she held the rapier it's like an exact replica of my sword from Sao she said as she equipped it "Kirito-kun I love you" Kirito replied with a kiss "hey you two love birds should get going you have school exams tomorrow" Agil said as he suppressed a laugh" and don't forget about the quest we're doing this weekend to help sinon get accustomed to the game" Klein said before he logged out a few minutes later Asuna & Kirito were putting Yui to bed before they logged out they walked out onto the deck just as a shooting star shot through the sky" hurry make a wish" Kirito said Asuna looked at him and smiled as she made her wish" I wish Kirito-kun and I will always remain this happy. They sat there for awhile intertwined in each other's arms as they gazed at the sky before they had to log out.

End chapter 4

A/N- so yea the reason i prefer the broadsword is because unlike the disc guard on a katana a broadswords guard can be used in an offensive manner not going into that though, if you don't understand what i mean by a sword guard it is a piece fitted above the hilt of a blade it's main purpose is to keep an opponents blade from sliding down your blade and causing damage to your hands.


	5. Chapter 5

A\N- not really much to say guys, thanks for putting up with my errors, the feedback, and reviews.

Disclaimer- I don't own sword art online.

Chapter 5- A secret revealed

December 1st , New Aincrad

Kazuto, Asuna, and the rest of the group stood on the deck overlooking the lake on floor 22 admiring the final warm day they had before the game servers changed the weather patterns to fit the season. Asuna basked in the warmth of the sun, dreading the icy chill of winter just over the horizon. Yui popped up her usual cheery self and almost startled Asuna "whatcha thinking bout mama" Yui asked an innocent smile on her face "nothing Yui-chan, are you excited to build a snowman this year" Asuna said as she ruffled her daughter's hair. Yui energetically replied and and ran of to talk to Agil who was helping his wife get used to the game. Asuna then turned to Kazuto who in turn smiled at her "so Kirito-kun when are we going to bring our families together to meet Yui-chan" Kazuto looked off in the distance as he spoke " I was thinking tonight while we're all together for dinner" Asuna nodded "ok well we should probably log off now so we can get ready" with that the couple said their goodbyes and logged out.

Yuuki residence

Later that night at the Yuuki residence Asuna was sitting on pins and needles trying to imagine everyone's reactions to the news when the doorbell rang Asuna jumped up off the couch ran to the door threw it open and jumped into Kazuto's arms. "Hey Asuna can we come in it's kinda cold out here" Kazuto said as he kissed her, Asuna giggled as she noticed the temperature ououtside. Once inside Kazuto greeted Asuna's parents and then pulled a laptop out of a bag and began the process of booting it up while everybody else socialized. Asuna cleared her throat before addressing everyone in the room Mother, Father, Mrs. Midori after dinner we have something we wanna show you but now if you would follow me dinner is done" Asuna said as she led the group to the dining room. The house was filled with laughter and merriment as they enjoyed the food and each other's company.

As the mood settled down and the last of the plates cleaned and put away, the group entered the living room Shouzou and Kyouko together on the couch Midori in an arm chair and Kazuto and Asuna stood in front of them. "Ok we would like you to meet someone" Kazuto said nervously as he brought up a video chat that he linked to Yui. The screen went blank for a moment as the face of a young girl with black hair fooled the screen "mama, papa who are these people" Yui asked "well Yui-chan thy are your grand parents"

The house filled with an awkward silence as everyone processed the information Shouzou was the first to break the silence "well hello there I guess i'm your grand father". Yui smiled and waved or answered questions as each person introduced themselves. When it was Kyouko's turn to introduce herself her facial features took on this sour look as she looked at the young couple "you two didn't eh do anything in that game did you" Kazuto turned a deep red as he told them about how they met Yui. By the end everyone even Kyouko had grown to love Yui. Later on as the Kirigaya's left Midori put Kazuto in a headlock and gently said "next child y'all have I wanna know when you learn bout it" "Yes ma'am" Kazuto said as he turned to tell Asuna goodnight. Midori laughed "they grow up so fast" she thought as she turned her car on and prepared for the drive home. After kissing Asuna goodnight, Kazuto turned to leave but Asuna quickly grabbed his arm and pointed at the sky "look Kirito-kun it's snowing" Kazuto just smiled as he walked her back in the house. "This has been a perfect night" he thought as he got in the car and swiftly fell asleep as the car pulled out of the drive way.

A\N- enjoy the upcoming first day of school kiddies haha.


	6. Chapter 6

A\N- sorry took a few weeks to reflect and I ended up hurting myself in an airsoft competition by falling out of a vehicle and having someone fall on top of me .that and college started up again yea let's avoid frats pissed off students and the fact that it's a big ass campus.

Disclaimer- I don't own sword art online

Chapter six- the visitors

Alfheim

Asuna and Kirito sat in a tavern enjoying time away from their parent's and the hectic pre holiday insanity.

"Kirito-kun has Midori-san talked to Yui any lately"

Kirito groaned as he told Asuna bout the conversation. " She said what" Asuna screamed making everyone turn to see what the commotion was about

Kirito sighed" she asked about how we get along etc"

Asuna's face took on a deep shade off red as Kirito finished talking "so are we still on for tonight" Asuna said as she tried to change the topic

Kirito nodded "yep we are all set for our date I'll meet ya at seven".

Dicey cafe 6:30

"So this is your pub huh Andrew gotta hand it to ya lad it reminds me of the states" Mctavish" celt" said as he held his drink in a mock salute

Andrew sighed as he continued to clean the glass in his hand.

"So what brings you here"

"Ah aye well there's a big gaming tournament and I was lucky to place as contestant" Mctavish said as he took yet another swig of his drink.

The two sat and talked for another thirty minutes before Mctavish bid Andrew adieu and quickly left.

Yuuki residence 7:20

Asuna sat next to Kazuto on a couch facing Shouzou who was cheerfully conversing about his grand daughter and the future. Asuna sighed as she interrupted her father's incessant rambling by pointing at a nearby clock "father we're going to be late"

Shouzou chuckled before he answered "go you two enjoy your evening".

Asuna and Kazuto bowed as they quickly strolled to the front door.

Once outside Kazuto turned to Asuna and grinned.

"Well he was in a chatty mood"

Asuna rolled her eyes as she grabbed her helmet off his motorcycle Kazuto chuckled as he put his own helmet and soon they were off little did they know an all to familiar adversary followed them from a distance a gleeful lust for blood on his mind.

9:38

Kazuto and Asuna sat close to each other on a bench gazing at stars in complete bliss when a strange man in a trench coat walked up and grabbed Asuna. In the ensuing confusion the unknown assailant pulled a cheap pocket knife out and held it to her throat.

"So good to see you again Kirigaya"

The assailant said as he laughed maniacally.

"Sugou I thought you were rotting away in some prison"

Kazuto spat out as he tried to stand but was dissuaded by sugou pressing the blade deeper into Asuna's neck.

"Well you see Kirigaya when your connections run as deep as tree roots you need not worry about the law"

Sugou said as he glared in murderous intent at Kazuto.

Anger consumed Asuna after the initial shock of being held at knife point by a scumbag she began to kick aiming for weak points in a desperate effort to free herself but to no avail she only pissed. Sugou off even more.

"Fiery are we well after i'm through with your Beloved we'll just see how fiery you really are"

Sugou said as he hit a pressure point causing Asuna to go limp and turned his attention to Kazuto.

"A\N yea I dunno bout the pressure point thing I know hitting certain points within the body can render a specific body part useless and others can do serious damage but I can't remember if you can incapacitate someone so yea don't hate me please"

Kazuto went into a defensive posture expecting Sugou to strike with a rapid succession of slices, but before Sugou could bring his blade to bear a man in a dark hoodie grabbed him by his neck.

"Well lad are ya gonna call the bloody cops or what"

Kazuto grabbed his phone from his pocket as he tried to process the last few minutes.

"First that bastard Sugou shows up and now Celt"

Kazuto thought as he called the police and checked on Asuna.

A few minutes later Sugou sat handcuffed in the back of a squad car as the officers took statements. After another five or so minutes the officers drove off leaving the two teenagers and their friend alone once again.

The three stood in an awkward silence for what seemed like hours until Kazuto yelled

"Glad to see you but what the hell are you doing here".

Asuna sighed at his outburst.

"Smooth Kirito-Kun"

Mctavish laughed at the site of the two Bewildered lovers.

"It was no problem I was just passing through and noticed the struggle, and i'm here for a competition"

"What kind of competition"

Kazuto wondered as he listened to his friend"

"Well we better get going once again thanks for saving us we are in your debt"

Asuna said as she smiled and grabbed Kazuto's hand and they began their trek back to his vehicle.

Mctavish lit a cigarette as he kept a close eye on them as they walked away

" I dunno what's gonna kill me first these or the two of you".

10:00 pm Yuuki residence

"Well that didn't go as planned"

Kazuto said to no one in particular as he kissed Asuna one last time before she entered her house.

A\N- I have but a few things to say first off close to 2k views for this story ha thank you to everybody whose read, followed, faved this story, secondly I don't do this much because I feel like i'm bossing people around but if y'all could go check out The brother of the 4th scribes stories out they're a great author and the stories are well done and interesting. Last but not least it might take me awhile to post another chapter cause i'm gonna edit previous chapters a bit. Much love and respect to all of y'all out there wherever you may be.

Grimreaper-sama. Don't call me sensei please.


	7. Chapter 7

A\N- sorry guys and gals I gotta make this quick if you've reviewed or messaged and I haven't messaged a thank you to ya "sorry I've been lazy when it comes to writing lately and this is probably not my best work" I will get around to doing it soon I swear. Maybe this time I won't have to edit the chapter again due to carelessness.

"Dislclaimer- I don't own Sao

"Chapter 7. The plot and the offer

Undisclosed location, 20:56 hrs "8:56 pm"

Sugou paced his new cell seething in anger as he watched dark grey clouds lazily drift through the darkened sky through the small slit like window.

"I was so damned close to being rid of those two permanently until that barbaric imbecile showed up and ruined everything."

Sugou's screaming caught the attention of his cell mate a slightly unkempt man with a troubled past, and deep scars on his face each one telling a story about a life or death experience. His eyes burned with slight irritation as he watched the lanky man throw a fit.

"hey pretty boy what's got you so wound up and who put the proverbial stick up your ass?"

Asked ed the man the irritation turning to amusement when Sugou jumped a little. Regaining his composure little by little Sugou sighed then he told the man his story omitting certain key factors. At the end of the tale he had spun Sugou looked at his cell mate pure hatred in his good eye.

""That is why I will ruin everything they hold dear right before I crush them entirely mark my words when I find a way to escape this hell hole, and set my plans in motion none of those pathetic fools will ever mess with me again."

Sugou said as he maniacally laughed.

This time I won't fail."

The other prisoner said nothing nor did he move as he watched in horror. Sugou finally died down after an hour of rambling, and the cell took on an eerie silence as day one of an extended prison sentence came to a close.

Later on that same night  
Dicey cafe  
Klein sat at the bar idly sipping his drink as he listened intently to the young adults tell about their rescue. From time to time, Klein would notice Kazuto stare into space or Asuna fidget with a piece of hair as if mentioning the event made them nervous. Andrew "Agil" who had been listening intently jumped as his phone vibrated excusing himself from the conversation. Once away from the others Andrew pulled his phone out and quickly scanned the message.

""Hey Agil I dunno if you've heard yet but there's a mass email going out to all Sao survivors about some project involving vrmmo's that's taking place here in Japan, they only need about a hundred of us,but it sounds really interesting.- Thinker"

Agil sighed, and was about to put his phone away when it flashed and vibrated again although this time the sender wasn't as mild mannered as the last.

"Agil did you see the email man please tell me y'all are signing up to help out with this project? -Celt"  
Agil grinned at his friends willingness to be part of the unknown as he typed his reply and hit send then pocketed his phone and walked back over to the three familiar faces sitting dumbfounded at the bar.  
"I dunno about me personally but I'll ask the others."

"The conversation had taken a turn as three phone screens lit up simultaneously. An air of uncertainty hit the trio as they each reread the message. Asuna was the first person to break the uneasy silence as she turned to Kazuto and asked the first question that came to mind.

"Kirito-kun what do you think the project is about, and why do you think they need people like us?"

Kazuto cleared his throat gaining him an extra second to come up with a suitable answer.

""My guess is we're needed to test certain elements for new vrmmo's or something. I mean we we're trapped in one for two year's, our incite could really help define the vr realm and help make it all the more safe."

"Klein nodded in agreement in agreement while Asuna milled over her fiance's answer. Andrew walked back over to the trio and was met with more than one confused look or raised eyebrow or in Klein's case a pitiful glance at his glass and then at Andrew.

"What's your take on the situation big man."

Klein said after admitting a silent defeat when his friend didn't refill his glass.

"Well I think we should get the whole group together and see whose interested those who are can go as a group."

Andrew said as he flipped through his contacts selecting the three other members " Rika, Keiko, Mactavish "of their group "excluding Sugu Asada" that were currently in the area and sending out messages to each of them about a meeting the next day. Klein stood up swaying a little as he paid for his drinks and waved goodbye soon after Kazuto and Asuna said their goodbyes and left. The rest of the night went without a hitch as Andrew locked the doors and turned the signs off he had an uneasy feeling about this so called project, but he let it slide as he walked up the steps leading to his apartment above the cafe his only thoughts were of a shower and falling asleep by his wife the matter at hand could wait till tomorrow.

A\N- Yea bout two empty boxes of strawberry and one box of chocolate pocky sticks "don't judge me and no I didn't eat them all by myself" later i'm done with this chapter. First off I really appreciate the people who've given me advice or helped with the story much love out to y'all. Secondly I got an email bout a review from a some guest earlier sorry can't remember the name you put, but yes I do talk to my readers why because sometimes just putting a kind word or being funny can brighten even the darkest of days, you also said something about me being a novice writer and something about how skilled authors are way better or something, I maybe some what new to this genre but I have some experience in the ways of writing like a few short stories, a notebook full of songs, and my great grandfather's eulogy under my belt. With that said this chapter kinda the preface to what lies ahead haha much love and respect out to y'all. Peace


	8. Chapter 8

A\N- ok learned my lesson last time this time before I post I will double check everything.

Disclaimer-I don't own sao

Chapter 8- the meeting

Agil woke up later than he had expected, and had only ten minutes to get ready before everybody arrived which sent him into a frenzied hurry to get dressed and make a cup of coffee before rushing downstairs to unlock the doors. Klein and Mactavish were the first to arrive both carrying bags full of bagels, drink carriers full of coffee, and other assorted breakfast items.  
"Aye well isn't this a sight samurai the big guy is a wee bit flustered'' Mactavish said as he poked Klein out of a trance.

"What's wrong with him?" Andrew said as he pointed at Klein.

"Ah well he had a bit of bad luck earlier at the bistro when he tried flirting with a business woman she slapped him and left a nasty red mark on his face" Mactavish said as he chuckled and put the items he had down.

"Hey I didn't know she was late for some appointment and didn't wanna be bothered." Klein said defensively.

Andrew laughed at his friends unfortunate encounter and settled down in a booth as he waited for the others to show up. The wait wasn't very long as Kazuto Asuna stumbled through the door still rubbing sleep from their eyes followed by a bubbly Keiko Rika who looked as if she would fall asleep again at any given moment. Andrew led them to a booth and set coffee down in front of them before he took his own seat.

"Alright so first things first before we get to the really important topics, there's been a patch for new Aincrad that let's you choose between your Sao avatar or your Alo avatar also the patch has opened up floors 21-26."  
Kazuto and Asuna both awoke from the last remnants of sleep as they listened closely to Andrew talk about different updates. Rika wasn't so easy it would take them another five minutes to pull her away from dream land.

Mactavish smiled as he looked at Asuna and spoke.

"So as the ranking officer of the KOB what say we bring back our guild only this time we enjoy the game as friends and fellow gamers not as people trying to survive another day."  
Asuna nodded her approval to the notion. They spoke for a few more minutes about the reformation of the guild and much to his dismay Kazuto was elected as the new sub-commander, and plans to meet up online were made for that evening. Former guild members were contacted and the guild was reformed in a new light.

"So with that settled let's get on with the show. As you know a mass email was sent out yesterday asking for assistance from us in a project before we go on i'd like to get a vote on whose willing to go." Andrew asked before draining his cup of coffee.  
"I'm willing to go." Mactavish said as he lit a cigarette, and moved farther away from the group.  
"I'm in." Kazuto and Asuna said in unison before they both turned red.  
"Ah what the hell might be fun count me in ." Klein said. "I can't to much school work to catch up on." Rika flatly stated as she crushed her coffee cup.  
"Sorry but I can't." Keiko said as she bit into a bagel.

Andrew nodded and stood up to stretch. "Four out of seven hmm" Andrew thought as he slowly walked over to the bar and back to get the blood flowing to his legs again. The meeting lasted about another hour before everyone went their seperate ways leaving Andrew to get ready for the busy day ahead of him./p  
Kazuto and Asuna walked hand in hand through the shopping district talking about their cabin on floor twenty one and how excited they were to get it long they arrived at an apartment that Asuna's father bought for them as a gift and had only recently given the keys to them. (A\N- was gonna do a quick chapter bout it and some other characters pov's but couldn't think of a good enough plot). The walk to the apartment was comforting as the two found themselves in front of a brick apartment complex

"well i guess we should go in and get settled in" Kazuto said as he took out a crumpled piece of paper with their apartment number on it and set out to look for it. After awhile of looking they finally found the apartment and the excitment within the couple rose as they slowly opened the door into a somewhat furnished apartment. Awe struck Asuna walked around the apartment stopping to look at different appliances here and there after her initial walk through she returned to Kazuto who had been looking out a window he pulled her into a tight hug as they watched the clouds role by through the morning sky.

Sugou

He sat at a table in the prisons cafeteria surrounded by a group of other prisoners each man a hardened criminal to him as loyal as soldiers. A maniacal grin spread across his face as he counted down the hours until he was free again. The Guards passed the table oblivious to the ensuing chaos all was normal within the prison for now. It would all go down when they were released from the cafeteria. His vengeance would begin.

"A\N- Not bad for a war novelist right eh, yea I know I suck just bear with me we all have to start somewhere, anybody else getting hate for not warning people who watched the dubbed version of season two bout how the episode was kinda sad. As always much love and respect out to everybody. Y'all be safe. sorry for the short chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

A\N- ha so this chapter i'm sorta picking up where I left off with Sugou then transitioning elsewhere. Also to the guest who asked me to do a Q&A uh you can find out a bit about me from my profile info. One last thing someone asked me why I use limited punctuation. It's just a bad habit of mine I developed in high school while taking notes. (laziness)...

Disclaimer- I don't own SAO

Chapter 9 -The escape

Sugou stood up and took his tray to the disposal area silently counting down from thirty. As he turned to put his tray down on top of a stack of other dirty tray's a group of prisoners casually strolled up to the nearest guard and started provoking him. Soon the whole cafeteria was one big brawl as a sea of orange crashed into the out numbered guards . Sugou gleefully watched as his plan came to life unaware to the presence behind him until a hand grabbed his shoulder Sugou turned around to see a ratty looking man holding a key card out Sugou grinned as he grabbed it and nonchalantly walked to the door leading towards his freedom his group of thugs following closely behind him. Once outside they made their way through the cell blocks, past processing, and into a lobby.  
"AN- Never been in a prison so I have no clue how accurate I am"

"So what now do we hijack a vehicle make for the nearest town." Asked one of the prisoners.

Sugou rolled his eyes and spoke with venom in his voice. "No you dumbass first we need to ditch these prison uniforms otherwise we'll stand out."

While they were contemplating their next move deeper in the prison the situation escalated as the riots grew. Prisoners ran around fighting with the guards and amongst themselves whilst the out numbered guards tried to fend off the ensuing chaos. Sugou and his group narrowly escaped into a wooded area where a prison guard whom Sugou had paid off stood next to a black suv. The lone guard flew around his weapon at the ready when he heard a twig break relieved to see it was only Sugou he bolstered his weapon and spoke.  
"Every piece of evidence pertaining to your brief stay in our prison has been destroyed and as promised here's a vehicle, a change of clothes, and weapons from the armory.  
Sugou smiled as he walked over to the guard and nonchalantly put a shiv into the man's heart

" Couldn't leave any loose ends" Sugou said as the life drained from the guard. "Now how bout we get outta here" Sugou said as he turned to his group of thugs.  
After disposing of the guard and prison uniforms they drove off with each passing second the suv drew further and further away from the prison and closer to Sugou's murderous goals.

New aincrad- floor 21 dungeon

Kirito slashed his blades down in a frenzied arc as he fought a skeletal knight out of the corner of his eye he saw Klein, Agil, and Celt struggling in the cramped hallway of the dungeon.

"Whose bright idea was it for us to go on this quest again!"

Klein yelled as he tried to out maneuver the enemy in front of him.  
Kirito let out a brief laugh as he cut down the skeletal knight in front of him.

" I think you have your headband on to tight or are you getting old and forgetful samurai"

Celt said as he pulled his sword out of a particularly pesky foes chest seconds before it burst into thousands of polygons only to be replaced by another.

" If i'm not mistaken your exact words were this quest looks simple enough go in get the contents of the chest for the npc and get out. We will have it cleared in a matter of minutes then we can go regroup with the girls at the cabin on floor twenty two."

Agil who had been mostly quiet through the fight stated. Silence filled the halls for a moment as the last of the skeletal knights were cut down.

"I think that's the exit up there" Kirito said as he sheathed his blades and cautiously walked towards the end of the hall the others not far behind him.  
They entered a circular chamber covered in the bones of what appeared to be a long dead giant a chest stood in the center of the chamber, and a a set of crude stone steps leading upwards at the far end of the chamber. Klein began to walk towards the chest but only made it a few feet before the ground started to shake and the bones began to reassemble the sound of blades being drawn from their scabbards (sheaths or whatever you wanna call them) filled the room followed by an ear splitting growl. Kirito looked at the new foe with a minor interest and quickly searched for possible weak points assessing its weapon, name, and health gauge it's name read Skeletal Vanguard it's weapon consisted of a spiked club, and three bars of health. They split up into pairs and rushed into the thick of battle once again.  
Kirito and Agil managed to distract the Vanguard while Klein and Celt assaulted it from both sides before jumping back and going on the defensive.

"What the bloody hell! I don't remember this monster come to think of it I don't remember this dungeon from our time in SAO."

Celt nonchalantly stated as he dodged the club and went in for another attempt to find a weakness.

" It might be new a new patch like how they implemented the option to play as your ALO avatar, human avatars, or in our case updated versions of our SAO avatars.  
Kirito said as he slashed the Vanguards first health bar into oblivion.  
(A\N- don't crucify me just trying to implement something new.)

"Another explanation is other than floor clearing and level grinding we didn't have much time to explore what each floor had to offer."  
Agil stated as he fell back and popped a healing crystal. The Vanguard slammed it's club down on the ground sending out a massive shockwave through the chamber that stunned anyone caught in it. The Vanguard then charged at the person closest to it which so happened to be Klein it's club poised to deliver a nasty blow. Klein braced himself for the inevitable strike but to his relief it never came. Kirito had seen the monsters charge and swiftly flew into action using one blade to block and the other to viciously attack the creature. Agil, Klein, & Celt swiftly following and in no time the Vanguard exploded into polygons, and the familiar exp tab popped up.

"Well that was interesting let's see what item was so important to that npc and get outta here i've seen enough of this place to last a life time."  
Kirito said as they walked to the chest. Once opened and the contents taken did anyone speak again.  
"So what is it a crown, a piece of art, a ring?" Celt asked impatiently.  
"A book." Klein replied in an almost amused tone.

"Very nice, wait a book we wasted our bloody time and risked our virtual necks for a damn book!" Celt exclaimed in borderline anger.

"Guy's let's just get outta here and get this damn quest over with please!"

Kirito yelled in frustration as he walked to the steps the others following behind him. The steps went on forever but at last the sun hit their faces as they stepped out of the hell hole of a quest area. They walked to the spot where they originally took the quest a small shack that was barely visible through the foliage surrounding it, an old man sat on a stump eagerly awaiting for their return. Klein walked over to the npc with the book in hand upon seeing the book the npc spoke.

"So you were successful in obtaining the item I see." Klein nodded in reply. "Good what lies within the pages of that book could wreak havoc upon the world." There were a few uneasy coughs as the npc finished its dialogue and the experience tab popped up again thus ending the quest.

"Well that was interesting"

Klein said as they each used a teleportation crystal. A sense of calming peace filled Kirito as he strolled through floor twenty-two he paused at the lake and smiled at the memories flooding through his mind before continuing on towards the cabin. His mind now focused upon the challenges of the uncertain future.

A/N- had to cut it short due to writers block not letting me progress and i kinda wanna spend some time with my new niece. love y'all Happy Veterans Day Peace.


	10. Chapter 10

A\N- would y'all believe me if I said I had no intention if writing a holiday themed chapter until a friend dared me to \ threatened to hide my laptop charger, rings, and cross necklace if I didn't. I'll get back to the regular story asap. ( Dec 7. This was supposed to be out the first I'll elaborate more below)

Disclaimer- I don't own Sao

Chapter 10- Christmas

December 23rd,

The air was chilly as Kazuto & Asuna walked through the parking lot each carrying bags full of decorations and supplies for the Christmas party they'd planned. Asuna groaned and almost walked into the nearest store as the freezing air pelted her exposed face all the while Kazuto tried to suppress his laughter. As they walked the wind kicked up a bit, and snow flurries swirled through the air as if they were dancing. after a brief stop to their apartment complex to drop off the items they bought Kazuto & Asuna took off hand in hand in the direction of the Dicey Cafe.

Later that evening everyone sat at the Dicey Cafe enjoying hot chocolate and talking about the up & coming party. Kazuto stood cleared his throat and pulled a plastic bag with everybody's names in it out of his pocket then spoke.

"Everybody if you would each take a scrap of paper from this bag that will be who you'll be buying a gift for."

Klein jumped at the chance to be the first to pull a scrap of paper from the bag. Kazuto nodded as he passed the bag around before settling back down next to Asuna. After everyone had taken their respective piece of paper Asuna stood and spoke.

"One more tidbit guys you can't tell anybody who you have out of respect ."

Wait what about trading with other people?"

Mctavish (Celt) asked before taking a sip from his mug.

"Nope you're stuck with whomevers name you pulled." Kazuto said smugly which in turn earned him a death glare.

Mctavish sighed and scratched at the beginnings of a stubbled beard as he pocketed the name then turned his gaze to the youngest of the group as he tried to come up with the perfect gift for her. Keiko who was on her third cup of hot chocolate, was nearly bouncing in pure delight in her seat next to Rikka & Sugu as she thought of the perfect gift for the person she'd drawn. As the initial bombardment of questions subsided everyone either broke into groups to chat, or to research the interests if the other people within their group.

Shino Asada bid everyone farewell as she walked out of the cafe into the chilly night and set off towards her apartment all the while nervously mulling over what to get someone as sporadic as Klein. Every so often she would have to stop and wipe the fog from her glasses only this time she noticed a stores that would be her saving grace. From the moment she'd met Klein and the others the one thing that stuck out about him was he loved the Samurai, and there in front of her stood a sign advertising a game about Samurai's. She hurried into the store found & paid for the game and before long she was trekking through the streets once more.

Dec. 24th,

The next day Andrew, Keiko, Sugu, Klein, Rikka, Asuna, Kazuto, & Mctavish set out to find gifts for people they might of missed and the friend who they'd drawn the previous night. Andrew stood at the register in an electronics store paying for the item he'd chosen for Kazuto after the clerk handed him the receipt and hurried to get back to his Cafe before the lunch rush began. As he walked through the shopping center on his way out he Rikka entering a book store and could only guess as to why she'd entered such a place. Throughout the day everyone busily rushed from store to store on their own little quests hoping they'd be done before that evening. As Christmas eve came to an end everyone was exhausted from the mad rush they'd gone on but one by one as their heads hit their pillows a deep sense of accomplishment enamored them.

Dec. 25th

The Kirigaya-Yuuki apartment was buzzing with activity as Asuna & Kazuto prepared for the Christmas party later that evening. After the majority of the prep work was finished Kazuto sat in the living room hurriedly wrapping a package he'd been hiding from Asuna for a few days. After more than a few haphazard wrapping attempts Kazuto was finally satisfied with his work and thus the package was placed under the tree. Kazuto breathed a sigh of relief as he exited the living room and crashed into Asuna who in turn was heading into the very room he had just exited.

" Geez Kazuto-kun that hurt!" Asuna groaned as she rubbed the left side of her face with her free hand.

" sorry Asuna are you ok?"

"I'm fine I was just coming to check on you and to tell you that people will be arriving shortly."

Kazuto nodded, as Asuna turned to leave and a brief smile flashed across his lips as he imagined her reaction when she opened her gift. Later that evening the apartment was filled with the sounds of laughter and merriment as the group of friends sat together enjoying each other's company & opening gifts. As every slowed down Asuna noticed a lone gift left under the tree and decided to investigate as she made her way to the tree she noticed all eyes were upon her & that each and every person had a smile upon their faces. She picked the present up noticing it was addressed to her. As she slowly turned around present still in hand her eyes fell upon Kazuto who was nonchalantly grinning she sighed as she made her way back to her seat and slowly opened it up. Inside was a well made leather bound memory book book filled with various pictures & notes pertaining to the pictures but what really got to her were the individual notes everyone left for her. Asuna was taken aback by the gift and could barely hold back the tears of joy as Lazy to wrapped her in a warm embrace. The night went on as new memories to add to her book were made with the people she held dear to her.

A\N- First off a memory book is a wonderful thing to own don't let anyone tell you otherwise well unless you're an airsoft operator like me then your pics generally look the same. Haha sorry humor is all that's keeping me from freaking out right now.

As for why it took so long to write this chapter festive chapters aren't my strong point. That and I've been stressed to much to write due to the fact that now Kaitlyn, my wonderful girlfriend told me she was pregnant, why so stressed you ask her father is an ex drill instructor nuff said.


	11. Chapter 11

A\N- Hey guys fun fact where i'm sitting now in TN you can throw rocks into bama which come to think bout sounds kinda boring. Aside from that I just wanted to thank those of y'all who have stayed with me and my ramblings thus far, to those who've helped me with my mistakes, and to those who've just joined the story. Love and respect to each and everyone of y'all.

Dusclaimer- I don't own Sao

Chapter 11- a wager and a duel

Asuna sat outside the cabin with Liz, Sinon, Leafa, & Silica talking and passing the time till the guys returned. Asuna was busy talking to Liz about her shop when she noticed or rather heard Klein arguing back and forth with Celt about a book. Ignoring the childish babbling duo she looked around for Kirito upon seeing him walking down the trail her heart skipped a beat almost immediately as she rushed to greet him. Kirito didn't know what hit him as he fell to the ground a cascade of blue hair blocking his vision and a set of warm inviting eyes piercing into his looking down at him. Kirito grinned and laid there for a moment before he spoke.

"Well hello there didn't expect to see you this up close and personal."

Asuna turned a deep shade of red as she realized what position they were in and how it must of looked to their friends. Kirito only grinned as Asuna jumped up in a flustered flurry. The telltale sound of giggling came from behind them which only caused Asuna's face to grow an even deeper shade of red.

"This is your fault Kirito-kun" Asuna whispered as she crossed her arms and and began to pout.

Kirito could barely contain his laughter as he stood up and brushed the grass off his clothing. All eyes were on the couple as they walked back to the cabin an awkward silence filled the air around them for a brief moment.

"So you two love birds should get a room before you make Klein jealous & we have to hear bout how he doesn't have a bloody girlfriend again" Celt sarcastically remarked, as he all but avoided making eye contact with Klein who was glaring grudgingly at him.

Before to long the two went back to arguing like brothers leaving the rest of the group to just stand and watch.

" just like old time's, but what do we do now that everyone is here?" Liz muttered as she grinned mischievously.

"Oh I know how bout we watch Klein & Celt duel they're always fighting about who the better swordsman is." Silica chimed.

"My money's on Celt due to his sheer ability to wield that odd broadsword." Kirito stated.

" Let's make a wager if Klein beats Celt in this duel you have to do dishes & grocery shopping all by yourself for a month, but if Celt wins I have to do it." Asuna said as she tried to look uninterested in the whole ordeal.

" You're on!" Kirito smugly replied.

The two stopped arguing long enough to back away from each other, set up the duel, & draw their blades. As the timer ticked down Celt gripped the hilt of his broadsword tightly as the timer hit zero then propelled forward in a flurry of strikes all but one Klein blocked. Klein on the other hand had the upper advantage when it came to how fast he could attack due to his lighter blade, as he lashed out scoring a few direct hits on Celt. The atmosphere around the two combatants grew heavier as blade crashed upon blade.

" do those two hate each other or something by the way they're fighting you'd think they were trying to kill each other?" Sinon quizzically asked.

" Nope they're just really competitive towards each other." Agil replied as he watched the two swordsmen dance around each other in quick successive strikes.

The fight went on for a few more minutes neither fighter giving an inch as broadsword met katana in an endless sweep of hits & misses, only ending when Klein got the upper hand and disarmed Celt mid parry. Klein sheathed his blade then sincerely grinned at his defeated opponent before they both erupted into a laughing fit. Kirito stood in disbelief as the realization that he lost the bet sunk in. Ever so slowly he turned to Asuna instantly regretting it as he saw the victorious spark in her eyes. Kirito hung his head in defeat as Asuna winked at him before turning back to Liz.

"What just happened they were so fiery a minute ago, and now they're laughing as if the arguments & duel never happened?" Leafa asked to no one in particular.

" It's because they fought side by side to survive for two years during the Sao incident it created a bond that we all share. We may bicker & fight amongst each other, but in the end it's all in good fun." Liz said before announcing that she needed to log out.

After awhile Asuna & Kirito also logged out leaving their remaining friends back in the realm of virtual reality. Kazuto's legs were stiff as he stood up and almost tripped over himself a sense of dread filled him as he entered the kitchen to see Asuna standing next to the sink smiling.

"Well Kirito-kun ready to make good on that bet."

Kazuto sighed as he slowly walked over to the sink ready to put the next month of teasing & chores behind him.

A\N- Yep two chapters in the same week what can I say my hometown is boring as all hell. Fun fact though- Celt or as I more commonly refer to him in other stories, Coalition Marine Sergeant Duncan Alexander Mctavish was the first character I ever created when I started writing even though I can't draw him haha I can't draw for s*** guys albeit mark my words one day I will find a way to give him a face other than the pic I so currently have set as my profile pic that my buddy created via some game character creation or something. The reason he is in this story is because when I first started it, I had a rough time bringing certain events within the first two chapters to life. Sorry for the rambling i'm beyond bored guys ha forgive me.


	12. Chapter 12

A\N- nothing to say.

Dusclaimer- I don't own Sao

Chapter 12- revelations

Asuna sighed as she walked alone through the streets towards the apartment she shared with kazuto. It had been three weeks since everyone had seen each other due to busy work schedules or school. The mid January air was cold and harsh turning the usually busy streets into that of a barren wasteland. As she came to a halt near a bakery her phone started to vibrate she quickly opened it to find a mass message from Andrew reminding everybody about the location of themeeting that the corporation had set up for the SAO survivors who were willing to help them with a sensitive project. Lazily she skimmed over the message as she continued walking towards the apartment complex. Upon entering the apartment Asuna noticed that it was unusually quiet upon further inspection Asuna found Kazuto sleeping on the couch Asuna smiled as she snapped a picture then quietly slipped out of the room.

The next morning both Asuna & Kazuto began their trek through the snow covered streets with each step the urge to turn around and crawl under a pile of blankets became almost intolerable. Asuna who was generally reserved in public burrowed deeper into Kazuto's side as she struggled to keep warm. After what seemed like forever walking through the frigid streets they stopped in front of a medium sized office complex. Upon entering they were met by a strong gust of warm air & an elderly woman who checked their names off a list before handing them id badges before herding them into an auditorium before returning to her post. Kazuto casually glanced around the auditorium as he led Asuna to a row of seats in the far left corner. Upon further investigation of the room he noticed quite a few familiar faces most of which were SAO survivors from Japan with a few other people from other countries in the mix. After awhile more people began to fill in the rows of seats and a man in a beige suit walked on stage cleared his throat and addressed them.

"Welcome dear friends before we get to business I would like to thank each and everyone person here for coming in today. Now down to business we are in charge of multiple servers within VR realm most notably New Aincrad and would like to enlist your help in making our content more appealing to the masses."

The man stopped for a brief second as a display behind him slowly flickered to life showing various graphs, charts, and other statistics all coinciding with the various servers they owned. Kazuto murmured something intelligible under his breath as he studied the information before turning his attention back to Asuna who had promptly fallen asleep on his shoulder.

"Above all else we want to guarantee the safety of our clients while they are connected to our servers, generally we have people who run maintenance through the programs, but we need people on the inside looking for possible threats." Another slide popped up this time showing the word Contingency. " the second reason we've recruited so many of y'all is due to a group that goes by the name Contingency that has been hacking into people's accounts, stealing personal data, and tricking different users into giving out credit card info in exchange for supposed mods etc. As of now none of these criminals have been caught we are working hard with the government to bring these people to justice. In closing if you would like to help us please remain seated.

A few gasps & muffled curses could be heard through the crowd as the man finished and the last slide played on the screen showing the various VRMMO servers the company ran. The room grew eerily quiet as the last slide disappeared and various people began to leave the auditorium until all but thirty-eight people remained. Asuna yawned as she slowly opened her eyes taking in the now almost empty room before turning her attention back to Kazuto.

"Kirito-kun do you mind telling me what I missed?"

"I'll fill you in later when we meet up with the others." Kazuto said as he scanned the remaining faces for any sign of Andrew, Mctavish, or Klein.

After what felt like an hour the man in the suit bowed and left through a door adjacent to the stage he had been on. Moments later the few remaining people stood and slowly trickled through the exits. Kazuto grabbed Asuna's hand as they exited into the main lobby where they stood for a moment to stretch and take in as much warmth as possible before their inevitable trek through the ice & snow. Upon gaining the feeling back in their legs, they soon found themselves exposed to the unyielding elements once again. Halfway through their trek both of their phones went off, digging through his pocket with his free hand Kazuto finally pulled his phone out, and proceeded to check the message then showed it to Asuna. Letting out an audible sigh they turned and plotted a course towards the Dicey Cafe.

A\N- yea not to talkative today kinda didn't wanna write this chapter due to a slew of rewriting here and there. I'll pick up where I left off after the holidays. Merry Christmas.


	13. where I've been

So four or five months, I can already feel the hate oozing from all of you lads and lass's who are interested in my almost non existent skills in this genre, we've had a rough few months with pregnancy and getting married. If it's any form of consultation to y'all my wife... yes I said wife is beside me popping me with a rubber band and a paper hornet. For the rest of you who are unsatisfied buy an airsoft rifle and come out to a competition out here in the south and try to hunt me down i'm not hard to find red hair always screaming you bloody nord to my battle buddy etc haha. The main reason i'm writing this update is to say hi and to tell all if you beautiful people that i'm back (ish).


	14. Chapter 13

A\N- ah everybody's favorite foolish templar is back "trust me I'm not that bloody vain y'all". Which means those oh so evil pm's a few people have sent can cease and desist it's hard to write and care for a pregnant ah scary wife as well as working haha. Sorry for the year or so of hiatus when I began this trek in June of '15 I do believe never would I have I expected the positivism and the chance to talk to a few of you wonderful people. But alas I will go into more depth at the bottom after all who wants to read a few boring paragraphs before they even get to the story. big shout out to my bud Dom for the awesome work on the new profile pic i'm gonna upload soon. my transition is going to be slow I have to immerse myself back into SAO so please forgive me if this chapter is slow or boring.

I do not own Sao

Chapter 13- Return

After rounding a series of icy corners and trudging through slush the Dicey Cafe stood before Kazuto & Asuna like a welcome beacon in a desolate wasteland. Kazuto was brimming with relief as he stood next to the heater and slowly regained the feeling in his hands.

" Hey Kaz if you stand to close to that thing you might melt along with that snow on your hair!" Klein sarcastically yelled from his bar stool on the far side of the cafe.  
"Hey mate shut your bloody mouth the news is on and there's some pretty serious business going on" Mctavish said as he turned his attention back to the tv screen.  
The tv went blank for a minute before showing a live feed of a stoic reporter standing in front of a prison.

" A few days ago a riot broke out here in this very prison claiming the lives of several inmates & guards, and wounding no more than twelve others. We also have reason to believe that a small group of inmates incited the riot then escaped in the confusion they are thought to be highly dangerous and armed take caution if you are out on the streets at night."

Andrew sighed as he muted the tv concern slightly reflecting in the corners of his eyes as he briefly met the gaze of each individual in the room before finally settling on the other adults all the while his mind was formulating a plan to keep the younger members of their beloved group safe on their treks back to their homes in total there were four Klein, their two American friends, as well as Andrew himsef, he then turned to the small group of teenagers who were still watching the tv before he turned his attention back to his fellow adults who he motioned to an empty table.

The other three adults followed him reflexively taking note of the way he kept twisting a towel in his hands. Once they were settled Andrew lightly cleared his throat before he spoke.

"We can't let them wander home alone with possible lunatics walking the streets looking for easy prey"

" We could leave as a group as a reassurance they make it home safely if anything does happen Duncan serverd as a Marine before the SAO incident and I was taught self defense course's all through out my childhood." Viv said as she smacked a cigarette out of her bewildered partners hand.

" Hey I don't go around smacking your bloody phone outta your hand or into your cup of coffee!" Mactavish said with feigned sadness in his voice as he watched the sodden cigarette swirl around in the remnants of his now cold coffee.

" Two things is that why you pull your blade out like you do in ALO and really why do i not record the look on your face whenever something happens to you?" Klein said as he suppressed his laughter.

Mctavish glared daggers at Klein but said nothing. Though Andrew still felt nervous about the situation the new info he had just heard as well as the lightened mood reassured him somewhat that they would all be ok.

In an abandoned office building two groups of shady men were in the middle of setting up make shift accommodations or setting up generators that they would use to power the rows of computers/Amuspheres or other essential electronic devices they would deem necessary to accomplish their goals. Above it all stood Sugou as he watched his plan come to life a sinister grin spreading across his face as he idly pocketed the jump drive that he had promptly named his trump card. Soon all the setbacks of the past few months would payoff leaving him the victor unbeknownst to those around him the actions of Kayaba would soon pale in comparison to his own nefariouness.

For the next few days Sugou's plans were met with a cautionary patience as his team of hacker's amassed funds or funneled small quantites into dummy accounts to throw off anyone who might be watching the flow of money into banks. Sugou once again stood above the activity staring blankly at the tablet in his hand as he replayed the events of the last week in his mind.

A lone guard idly walked through the parking garage of one of Rect's many research labs when his eye caught an unfamiliar black van parked in a corner at first he thought nothing of it as he strolled through the cool evening air counting down the minutes till he was relieved by his partner, but on his second pass through curiosity got the better of him as he strolled the few feet towards the van nearly jumping when one of the doors flew open and a slender man stepped from the vehicle. The guard stood in shock as the man flashed a maniacs grin before firing the taser he held in his hand Sugou's smile deepened as let out a low whistle to the three people still seated in the back of the van his attention briefly turning back to the incapacitated guard slumped on the ground as his team set about grabbing their gear.

Before setting out they bound and gagged the guard as well as grabbing his id/keycard they made their way to the guard station incapacitating the remaining guard before making their way into the building. The lobby was empty save for the strategically placed security cameras positioned near the elevator's. this of course was no problem to the four black clad men standing just out of the camera's range the man behind Sugou threw a small cylindrical device that would delete the next few minutes of footage before they crept closer to the elevators. Once inside the elevators Sugou pressed the third floor button moments later the doors opened up into an office area the group spread out hitting their designated targets. Sugou slowly stepped into his old office his eyes wandering until an old wooden figurine caught his attention the sadistic grin spread across his face pressing a hidden button concealed by a plaque at the base of the figurine opened a compartment with two jump drives almost identical to the one currently stored in the warehouse he was using as a forward operating base for his plans. careful as to not leave any traces that they were there after securing the tech they needed the four men melted into oblivion once again. An hour passed before the incapacitated guards were found and the alarm raised it took another to get the authorities on scene to investigate but it was written off as some random act of violence little did they know how wrong they were and how screwed their world would become by the coming morrow.

A/N- I'd just like to start by saying its a mixture of it being odd and exciting to finally get this chapter out to y'all in light of recent events like Gatlinburg TN catching on fire or other not so savory things going on in our day to day lives around the country, but alas it's good to be back I'd like to thank those of y'all who have patiently waited for me to publish another chapter, as well as those of y'all who are new to it as you might of figured out i'm very social and like to engage people when I write haha compared to my generally quiet demeanor in the world of the living. Above all else i'd just like to thank my wife who threatened my life if I didn't finish this chapter.


	15. End of the line

Well it's been a long time coming. Sadly i'm giving up on this story for the time being. I've tried multiple times since my last upload but I ultimately failed this story due to a minimalist effort whilst pouring my focus into another novel I was producing. Alas I leave you with this though I relinquish my blade "pen" and bide you my fellow writers adieu. Until we meet again,

-Phantom.


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